Nail holder and punch



Feb. 22, 1949. N. .1. POLLOCK 2,462,774

NAIL HOLDER AND PUNCH Filed Nov. 17, 1945 Patented Feb. 22, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE NAIL HOLDER AND PUNCH Neil J. Pollock, Chicago, Ill.

Application November 17, 1945, Serial No. 629,256

1 Claim.

This invention relates to a nail holder and punch for use with nails, screws and other driven members, and is particularly useful for the driving of nails and the like in recesses which are difficultly accessible.

Heretofore, instruments have been provided for the setting of a screw or nail within the recess so that the same will remain in position and can be driven home by a separate punch or screw driver. Such structures have been employed in the setting of extremely small nails or screws and have not been satisfactory or employed for the driving of the nail, etc., deeply within the timber, etc. For the latter purpose, a, second tool has always been used.

An object of the present invention is to provide 'a punch tool which may be employed for driving the nail, etc., deeply into the timber and accurately at the spot selected. Another object is to provide a tool which permits the nail or other driven member to be carried securely in the end of the tool and located at the precise spot desired, the tool then serving as a punch for the driving of the nail deeply into the wood. Yet another object is to provide a punch having a shank of relatively small diameter and a head of relatively large diameter whereby the tool can be accurately placed within a recess while at the same time the enlarged head serves as a sturdy member for retaining the nail and then permitting driving thereof. A further object is to provide a punch structure in which the relatively narrow shank merges into a relatively large head, the forward portion of the head being cut away to provide a nail-holding extension and the rear portion of the head being provided with a recess receiving the nail head against a portion of the head which is concentric with the solid shank. Yet another object is to provide a punch tool having an enlarged head with the upper forward portion cut away to provide a grooved extension and the head also being provided with a concave recess closed at its sides to provide a sturdy structure permitting driving of the nail deeply into the timber. Other objects and advantages will appear as the specification proceeds.

The invention is illustrated, in a preferred embodiment, by the accompanying drawing, in which-- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a punch structure embodying my invention; Fig. 2, a transverse sectional view, the section being taken as indicated at line 2 of Fig. 4; Fig. 3, a front view in elevation; Fig. 4, a broken transverse sectional view of the forward portion of the punch; and

Fig.5, a broken top plan view of the forward portion of the punch.

In the illustration given, it designates the shank of the tool, which may be formed of steel or any other suitable metal, the rear end of the tool may be flattened to enable it to be driven as a punch and just forward of the flattened end knurling Il may be formed to facilitate the gripp ng of the handle or shank Hi.

The forward end of the tool is provided with an integral enlarged head 12 preferably of the shape shown more clearly in Figs. 3, 4. and 5. The enlarged head is preferably cut away at l3 to provide a nail-holding extension Hi equipped with a groove H5. The bottom portion of the extension 14 is preferably upwardly inclined as indicated at 16, to produce a relatively narrow pointed end portion. At the rear of the exten sion M is a transverse recess l1 adapted to receive the head of a nail H8. The recess 11 is substantially semi-circular in shape and with sufficient depth to receive the head of a nail, screw, etc. The arcuate shape of the groove l5 and the concave recess l'I permit the use of various size nails, including the so-called roofing nails having a large head and used by electricians in the installation of outlet boxes, etc.

By cutting away the head along the line l3, as indicated, and by providing the semi-circular recess l'l, it will be noted that the head l8 of the nail is perfectly centered with respect to the center of the solid shank l0. Thus, a solid channel of steel, concentric with the nail, is interposed between the hammer and the nail head, resulting in the driving of the nail along a true direct line. The enlarged head I2 presents a wide area adapted to receive heads of different sizes while, at the same time, providing a heavy mass of metal extending all the way around the semi-circular recess I! and thus connecting the extension l4 sturdily therewith.

The tapered narrow end of the extension l4 permits the small screw or nail to be set within a narrow recess while, at the same time, the driving head l2 concentric with the solid shank I0 is available for driving the nail or screw well into the timber at the back of the recess.

The semi-circular recess l1 may be formed by milling or by any other suitable means or, if desired, the recess may be cut transversely of the shaft and the side walls then filled in by welding to provide the closed sides, as illustrated more clearly in Figs. 2 and 5. It is particularly advantageous to have the side walls of the recess I! closed and solid with the remaining structure,

so that an extremely sturdy connection is provided between the head [2 and the extension I4. Thus, under hammer blows there is no tendency for the extension M to break off or for the connecting walls to buckle. Even if the extension- |4 strikes the timber, the force of the blow does not break off the nail-holding extension.

In the operation of the structure, a nail, screw, etc., is placed with the shank thereof resting within groove 15 which is arcuate in shape and adapted to center nails, etc., of varying diameters. The head of the nail, etc., rests within the recess l1 and the head of the nail is substantially centered with the head t2 and shank It). At the same time, the cutawa top portion of the extension greatly aids the operator in placing the nail in position and for sighting the point thereof as it is pressed against the spot selected. With the point of the nail against the selected spot on the timber, the punch tool is next driven to force the nail deeply within the timber. After the nail has been driven fairly deeply into the timber, the nail head is disengaged from the supporting grooves and the point of the tool is then brought against the nail and serves as a punch for completing the nail-driving operation. In other words, the tool serves not only as a holder for placing the nail and starting it, but also as a tool for completing the final punching operation.

In supporting an extremely lOng nail I8 in position, the operator, if the nail is of an unusual length, may extend his finger beyond the extension [4 so as to provide a slight extension therefor and thus support the nail as it is being placed with the point against the selected spot in the recess. The tool is then driven to force the nail as far within the timber as desired.

Where the nail is driven into the timber for about four-fifths of its length, and a portion of the nail and head still extends slightly out of the timber, the present tool may be used also as a means for withdrawing the nail, since the head can readily be inserted within the recess IT in the cut away forward portion of the head and the shank of the nail received within groove 15. The closing of the side walls of the semicircular groove l'! provides a grip which extends around a considerable area of the head and thus enables the force to be applied over a relatively wide area of the head.

The cutting away of the forward end of the head is also particularly advantageous in freeing the tool from engagement with the nail after it has been driven well into the timber, and it is necessary to move the head only a slight distance laterally to bring about the release. In the release operation, the tapered forward end of the tool permits the handle to be swung upwardly slightly and thus facilitates the removal of the head from recess I! after the punching operation.

While in the foregoing specification, I have set out a large number of details as illustrating one mode in which the invention may be practiced, it will be understood that such details may be varied widely by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

A tool for driving nails, comprising an elongated shank member, an enlarged head formed integrally with said shank, said enlarged head having its upper forward portion cut away to provide a vertical rear wall and a horizontal forwardly-extending platform portion, said vertical rear wall being provided with a longitudinallyextending groove, and said head being also provided with a half-moon shaped recess extending transversely thereof and communicating with the rear portion of said groove, the rear portion of said head being connected to said platform portion by a semi-circular band of metal enclosing said transverse recess, said head having its lower portion tapering forwardly and inwardly ,and terminating in a flat end adapted to serve as a punch for nail.

NEIL J. POLLOCK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent: s

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 

